Col. Jerry Don Frost

1944 - 2020

Retired Col. Jerry Don Frost, 75, passed away peacefully on April 25, 2020, in Virginia Beach, Virginia, after a long illness with his wife of 15 years, Lourdes Frost, by his side.

Jerry is preceded in death by his daughter, Kelly Dawn Frost in 2009; his parents, Earl Richard Frost in 1987 and Stella Lucile Frost (Burkett) in 1987; and his brother, David Earl Frost in 2017.

Jerry is survived by his wife, Lourdes De Jesus Frost; his sons, Brian Andrew Frost (Christine) and JD Jeremiah; his daughter, Jeraelou; his two grandchildren, Brady Frost and Jillian Frost, his brother, Richard Frost (Wanda); and his first wife, Alice Elizabeth "Libby" Frost (Peters).

Jerry was born Oct. 4, 1944, in Lubbock, Texas. As a military brat (his father was in the U.S. Air Force), Jerry moved around a lot while growing up. He graduated high school in Texas and went on to earn a bachelor's degree in business from Oklahoma City University and a master's degree in business management from Central Michigan University. His military schools included the Command and General Staff College and the Army War College.

After high school graduation, Jerry enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1964 and served for 18 months as a heavy mortarman. Following his enlisted tour, he attended the infantry Officer Candidate School at Fort Benning, Georgia, and was commissioned as an infantry lieutenant in February 1966.

During his 29 years of service, Jerry held numerous assignments including two tours in Korea, one tour in Vietnam, and extended tour in Germany and several assignments in the U.S. including three years on the Army staff at the Pentagon.
It was at one of these assignments that he met and in 1969 married his first wife, Libby, and raised their
two children, Brian and Kelly. While their marriage ended, Jerry and Libby remained friends.

Jerry commanded two armor companies, a basic training company, an armored cavalry troop in Vietnam and an armor one station unit training (OSUT) battalion. His awards included two awards of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star and the Combat Infantryman's Badge for services in the Republic of Vietnam. He was also the recipient of the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, six awards for the Army Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal and the Army Achievement Medal.

Jerry retired from the U.S. Army as a colonel in 1993 while serving as garrison commander at Fort Knox. Always wanting to serve his country, Jerry worked as a contractor in Kuwait supporting our troops after the Gulf War and later the war in Afghanistan.

It was in Kuwait that Jerry met his current wife, Lourdes, whom he married in 2004 and they raised their two children, Jeraelou and JD Jeremiah, in the Philippines. In 2017, they moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia.

While Jerry was a dedicated soldier, he was also a loving father of his four children. Jerry loved the time he was able to spend with his kids working on projects at home, helping with school work, bringing them along with him to work, traveling or taking every opportunity to stop at an amusement park on a road trip. He was a kid at heart and always shared that enthusiasm with his children.

Jerry will be interred in Arlington National Ceme­tery with full honors. No date has been scheduled.

In lieu of memorial gifts consider donating to the American Cancer Society at donate3.cancer.org or the Wounded Warrior Project at support.woundedwarriorproject.org.